The SGA LNG Task Force has released Deployable LNG Peak Shaving & Grid Support, a one-page resource on how mobile LNG can keep gas flowing and power on when a disaster or extreme demand disrupts normal supply. Task Force Chair Michael Cornegay of Southern Company Gas led the project, which was developed as part of SGA’s Energy Resilience Initiative.
If you’re responsible for system reliability, emergency planning or regulatory coordination, this puts a practical option on a single page you can hand to leadership, emergency management partners or your public utility commission.
When a Storm Hits, the Clock Starts on Critical Facilities
A hurricane, ice storm or pipeline outage puts hospitals, shelters and homes on a countdown for heat and power. Deployable LNG assets can be mobilized within hours to stabilize supply, protect critical infrastructure and support recovery while permanent repairs move forward.
The Task Force’s working paper describes the approach in four steps:
- Mobilization: LNG moves by cryogenic trailer to a staging area near the affected community or facility.
- Vaporization: Portable units convert the LNG back to natural gas on site.
- Distribution: Gas is injected into the local pipeline network or sent directly to large-scale generators tied to substations.
- Support operations: The system supplies temporary gas for heating, cooling and power generation until normal service returns.
The supply already exists. The Task Force notes that LNG is held today at roughly 100 small-scale LNG facilities across the US.
Where Mobile LNG Protects People Most
The resource focuses on four applications where deployable LNG makes the most direct difference in a community:
- Life-saving operations: uninterrupted service for emergency rooms, surgical centers and critical care units during outages or supply disruption.
- Critical services: standby readiness for police, fire, water and emergency management infrastructure.
- Displaced families: temporary gas supply and generation support for community resilience centers and public safety facilities.
- Peak demand: support for local distribution networks to prevent extended outages and protect homes during extreme weather.
Grounded in the Standards You Already Work Under
The Task Force notes that these systems comply with NFPA 59A, PHMSA and DOT standards and support state emergency planning frameworks and public utility commission resilience strategies. They scale from a small municipality to an industrial load and serve both gas distribution and electric generation, which makes them a natural point of coordination across sectors during an emergency.
Looking further out, the Task Force sees room to build on this work through emergency readiness simulations, regional cooperation plans and blending renewable natural gas into deployable systems.
Shaped by People Who Plan for the Worst Day
Michael Cornegay chairs the LNG Task Force and guided this resource from early draft to finished piece. He traces the project back to a request from the field:
“This initiative started with a simple but important observation. [First Vice Chair] Jim Schauer shared that utilities were reaching out to him looking for providers capable of delivering temporary natural gas and power generation solutions during emergencies and supply disruptions. We recognized an opportunity for the LNG Task Force to help bridge that information gap. Our goal was to develop a practical resource that connects utilities and emergency planners with deployable LNG solutions that can help maintain critical services, support communities, and strengthen energy resilience when traditional infrastructure is compromised. I’m proud of the collaboration among our Task Force members in turning an identified industry need into a resource that can make a meaningful difference.”
The resource shows how SGA committees work: practitioners from member companies hear what the field needs and pool their experience into something every member can put to use.
